FRIDAY, JUNE 26
8:00 a.m.- 9:30 a.m.
Communion, Installation and Memorial Service
Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church
Open House at District Office – Coffee & Donuts
7:00 a.m.- 8:00 a.m.
Greetings
10:00 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
Concordia Theological Seminary – Dr. Lawrence Rast
CUW/AA – Dr. Patrick Ferry (Video)
Concordia University, Chicago – Dr. Daniel Gard
Concordia Seminary – Dr. James Voelz (Video)
Concordia Plan Services-Maureen Schneider (Video)
THEOLOGY AND ADMINISTRATION
Committee 1 – Theology and Administration
11:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
EDUCATION & CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Committee 3 – Education and Congregational Services
Ministerial Health Commission and MEF
Dr. Richard Koehneke – Caring for the Called
LUNCH
Devotion/Prayer
12:15 p.m.- 1:15 p.m.
1:15 p.m.- 1:25p.m.
GREETINGS
LCMS Lutheran Foundation – Rich Paul
LCEF & Ministry Support – Max Biesenthal
1:25 p.m. - 1:40 p.m.
1:40 p.m. - 1:55 p.m.
STEWARDSHIP AND STRUCTURE
Committee 4 – Stewardship and Structure
1:55 p.m.- 2:20 p.m.
SYNOD Q & A
2:20 p.m. - 2:45p.m.
Committee 1 – Theology and Administration
2:30 p.m.Committee 2 – Outreach
3:05 p.m.Committee 3 – Education and Congregational Services 3:20 p.m.Committee 4 – Stewardship and Structure
3:40 p.m.Unfinished Business
Closing Devotion
3:05 p.m.
3:20 p.m.
3:40 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.- 4:20 p.m.
4:20p.m.- 4:35 p.m.
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1-09: TO URGE LCMS MEMBERS TO CEASE THE PRACTICE OF INFANT/TODDLER COMMUNION
(Overture 1-09, Today’s Business, page 347)
Whereas, St. Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread
or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and
blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the
cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on
himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” (1 Corinthians 11:2730); and
Whereas, the Greek word in v.28, [doki-madzeto] <pres. impf. act.>, is translated
as “let examine.” Examining oneself for Holy Communion is beyond the capability of an infant
or toddler regarding the consequences of receiving the Lord’s Supper. According to the Greek
Concordance this root word [doki-madzo] is used by Paul elsewhere in 1 Corinthians, Galatians,
and Romans and translated (ESV) as “test, accredit, prove, tested,” and “see fit”; and
Whereas, the Greek word in v.29, [dia-krin-own] <pres. act. part.>, is translated as
“discerning.” Again, the Greek Concordance indicates that the Greek root word [diakrino] is
used elsewhere by Paul in 1 Corinthians and Romans and translated (ESV) as “settle a dispute,
weigh,” and “waver.” Again, such discernment upon reception of the true body and true blood
of Christ Jesus is beyond an infant or toddler and putting them at risk of spiritual harm; and
Whereas, some children at an early age may be able to so examine themselves, but infants and
toddlers are unable to demonstrate that they can complete the kind of self-examination
required by these passages; and
Whereas, our Lutheran Confessions further provide direction regarding admission to the Lord’s
Supper: “As we treated Holy Baptism under three headings, so we must deal with the second
sacrament in the same way, stating what it is, what its benefits are, and who is to receive it. All
these are established from the words by which Christ instituted it. So everyone who wishes to
be a Christian and go to the sacrament should be familiar with them. For we do not intend to
admit to the sacrament and administer it to those who do not know what they seek or why
they come.” (LC V 1-2.) Infants and toddlers are unable to fathom what God promises in the
Lord’s Supper promises or its benefits. Nor do they “know what they seek or why they come”;
and
Whereas, the congregations and pastors who are members of The Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod must require of communicants the sort of careful self-examination required by St. Paul in
1 Corinthians 11. To this end, and for the sake of those who wish to partake of the Lord’s
Supper, congregations and pastors must admit to this Sacrament only those persons who are of
sufficient age and discretion to examine themselves. Typically, such age and discretion shall be
evidenced by the person having been confirmed by an LCMS congregation, or by a Lutheran
congregation in altar fellowship with the LCMS; and
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Whereas, the practice of communing infants and toddlers (Paedo-Communion) violates Holy
Scripture and the Lutheran confessions; therefore be it
Resolved, that for the sake of the unity of Holy Scripture, for the unity of practice and doctrine
for all LCMS congregations in the Indiana District, and for the steadfast Christian faith of all our
congregations’ members, we strongly urge all LCMS pastors and congregations in the Indiana
District to reject and avoid the practice of communing infants and toddlers; and be it further
Resolved, that the 2015 Indiana District Convention declare that the teaching and practice of
communing infants and toddlers in LCMS churches in this District is contrary to the Holy
Scriptures and to the Lutheran Confessions; and be it finally
Resolved, that the 2015 Indiana District Convention memorialize the 2016 LCMS Convention to
adopt clear guidelines for LCMS member pastors and congregations regarding the practice of
communing infants and toddlers.
Committee on Theology and Administration
Rev. Ralph Blomenberg, Co-Chairman
Mark Franke, Secretary
1-10: TO ENCOURAGE THE SYNOD TO BEAR WITNESS TO WHAT WE BELIEVE, TEACH, AND
CONFESS REGARDING MARRIAGE
(Overture 1-10, Today’s Business, page 348)
Whereas, relying upon the Holy Scriptures, we believe, teach, and confess that marriage as
instituted by God is a lifelong union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:46); and
Whereas, marriage is to be honored by all and kept pure (Hebrews 13:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:2-5);
and
Whereas, children are the most obvious, natural gift of marriage, for God blessed the first
married couple—and all married couples—by saying, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28);
and
Whereas, St. Paul describes marriage as a type of the relationship existing between Christ and
His bride: “This mystery [of marriage] is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and
the church” (Ephesians 5:32); and
Whereas, on its own, the church can do nothing; but if the church abides in Christ and Christ in
the church, it bears much fruit (John 15:5); and
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Whereas, it is thus with marriage—only a union of a man and a woman can be fruitful and
multiply; and
Whereas, marriage thus understood also blesses children by giving them a father and a mother
to nurture and care for them—making it the optimal setting for the child; and
Whereas, sexual complementarity is therefore the foundation of the Biblical view of marriage
as God intended it; and
Whereas, though solidly grounded in a Scriptural understanding of God’s design, this “conjugal
view” of marriage is not unique in the world to Christian cultures, as nearly every culture has
recognized this view of marriage, and it has been foundational to the ordering of civil society
from time immemorial; and
Whereas, the left-hand kingdom’s subscription to the conjugal view of marriage should come as
no surprise, because St. Paul also tells us that God’s invisible attributes, including His views of
what is ungodly or unrighteous, may be clearly seen as reflected in His creation (Romans 1:1820); and
Whereas, the Holy Scriptures also explicitly teach that same-sex attraction is a manifestation of
sin. (Leviticus 18:22 [“abomination”]; Romans 1:26-27 [“dishonorable” and “shameless”]; 1
Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:8-11 [“contrary to sound doctrine”]); and
Whereas, the official position of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, as set forth in 1998
Resolution 3-21 (“To Affirm the Sanctity of Marriage and to Reject Same-Sex Unions”), is that
homosexual unions come under categorical prohibition in the Old and New Testaments
(Leviticus 18:22, 24; 20:13; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:9-10) as contrary to the Creator’s
design (Romans 1:26-27); and
Whereas, St. Paul also cautions us that sexual sins are no greater and no lesser than any other
sins (Romans 1:26-32), as all sins separate us from God and are deserving of eternal death
(Romans 1:32, 6:23); and
Whereas, in recent years, our culture has seen a shift in attitudes about marriage, with samesex “marriage” and civil unions now considered by many to be morally acceptable and legally
desirable; and
Whereas, the Supreme Court of the United States is expected, before the end of June 2015, to
decide whether the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States requires
the states to licenses marriages between two people of the same sex, and to recognize such
marriages contracted elsewhere; and
Whereas, the Solicitor General of the United States has declared that, if the Supreme Court
compels states to recognize same-sex relationships as marriages, “it is going to be an issue” for
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groups and individuals who object to same-sex marriage on religious grounds, including but not
limited to the possible revocation of tax-exempt status for such groups and the legal
requirement that such individuals act contrary to the dictates of conscience; and
Whereas, at the Diet of Worms (on April 18, 1521), Martin Luther declared, “I am bound by the
Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not
recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe”; and
Whereas, our consciences also are captive to the Word of God; and
Whereas, the Word of God teaches that, as citizens of God’s left-hand kingdom, we must obey
our government (Romans 13:1-4; LC III 141-42, 150; AC XVI 1); however, when the government
interferes with the rights of conscience and the clear commands of Scripture, “We must obey
God rather than men” (Acts 5:29; AC XVI 6-7); and
Whereas, it is the role of the universal Church to boldly proclaim the Gospel of forgiveness, and
to boldly teach and confess the truths revealed in the Scriptures; therefore be it
Resolved, that the 2015 Indiana District Convention affirm its adherence to 1998 LCMS
Resolution 3-21 (“To Affirm the Sanctity of Marriage and to Reject Same-Sex Unions”), as a
faithful exposition of the Scripture passages cited therein; and be it further
Resolved, that the 2015 Indiana District Convention thank LCMS President Matthew C. Harrison
and the LCMS’s “Free to be Faithful” campaign for standing up for religious freedom and the
rights of conscience, including but not limited to the right to boldly teach and confess the
Scriptural truth concerning the institution of marriage, and encourage them to continue in their
bold witness; and be it further
Resolved, that the Indiana District reaffirm our commitment to teaching both the Law and
Gospel concerning marriage, both calling our nation and those struggling with same-sex
attraction to repentance and proclaiming the Gospel of Christ’s forgiveness to all who call upon
Christ’s name; and be it finally
Resolved, that the 2015 Indiana District Convention memorialize the 2016 LCMS Convention to
develop a comprehensive response to recent court decisions concerning marriage that will
comport with the Holy Scriptures and the traditional Lutheran understanding of marriage,
including but not limited to the role of LCMS pastors in officiating at civil marriage ceremonies.
Committee on Theology and Administration
Rev. Ralph Blomenberg, Co-Chair
Mark Franke, Secretary
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